Ocean waves (poppy tetanui)

1 🌧️

The early morning sun cast a warm glow over Rockaway Beach, painting the waves in hues of gold and amber as I sat atop my surfboard, floating lazily in the gentle swells. Today marked the end of an era for me in Brooklyn, New York, a city that had been both my playground and my home. My mom's decision to send me and my sister, Summer, away for the summer was a mix of relief and uncertainty. Summer, always the adventurous one I'm lying she's just a little crazy but she, had managed to find herself in trouble yet again, leaving my mom with no choice but to send us off to stay with a distant family we've never met in a sleepy coastal town shorehaven.

As I looked out at the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, its rhythmic pulse calming my thoughts, I couldn't help but smile. Brooklyn had been a place of growth and discovery - from learning to ride my first wave at Rockaway to exploring the eclectic streets of Williamsburg. It had been a landscape of contrasts, where towering skyscrapers met the quiet retreats of Prospect Park, and where the cacophony of city life melded with the serenity of its waterfronts.

But today, as I sat amidst the gentle lull of the ocean, all those memories seemed to coalesce into a single, poignant moment. I thought about the summers spent roaming Coney Island with Summer, chasing seagulls along the boardwalk and sharing ice cream cones even when it was too cold outside . I thought about the late nights at rooftop parties in Bushwick, where the skyline glittered with promise under a blanket of stars. And I thought about the quieter moments, sitting on this very surfboard, watching the ebb and flow of the tide as if it held secrets only the ocean could whisper.

My thoughts turned to the family we were about to meet - friends of our mother that we barely knew, who had agreed to take us in for the summer. My mom had assured us they were kind-hearted and eager to welcome us into their home, despite the circumstances that had brought us there. I wondered if she was just sending us away because with us her life was much harder
I never got in trouble but I did defend summer every time mom would get it on with her

As I paddled lazily through the water, feeling the cool spray against my Skin, I knew that despite the uncertainty of the future, the ocean would always be a constant. Its vastness reminded me that life was an ever-changing tide, sometimes turbulent, sometimes calm, but always moving forward. And as I caught a wave and rode it back towards the shore, the sun warming my face and the cold air rushing through my body I was gonna miss Brooklyn but this was only going to be for the summer I think we can survive

---

The sun had dipped below the horizon by the time I finished my last surf session at Rockaway Beach. The sky painted in hues of pink and orange, reflecting off the tranquil ocean waves as I paddled back to shore. With practiced ease, I rode the last wave in, feeling the rush of adrenaline fade into a serene calmness. It was a perfect end to my time here in Brooklyn, where every swell had been a moment of freedom, every wave a temporary escape from reality.

After rinsing off the salt and sand under the beach showers, I changed into dry clothes and shouldered my board, making my way through the quiet streets towards home. The air was still warm, carrying the faint scent of sea breeze and as the cold air runs through my hair and body. Each step felt like a farewell to familiar sights the graffiti-covered walls that marked my favorite shortcuts, and the stoops where neighbors greeted each other with knowing nods.

Arriving home, I climbed the familiar steps to our apartment, where the rooms echoed with memories of loud yelling and occasional sibling squabbles. As I showered and prepared for bed, the reality of leaving Brooklyn sank in. Tomorrow, Mom was taking us away for the summer to stay with the family in a small town we barely knew. Summer would be by my side, as always, but this time with a weight of apology in her eyes for the trouble she'd caused, prompting Mom's decision it wasn't her fault really.